Education Secretary John King on Monday rejected an appeal from ACICS regarding revocation of its status as a recognized accrediting body. This ruling threatens federal financial aid dollars for nearly 300 colleges with 600,000 students. Institutions accredited by ACICS have 18 months to find other accreditors, which are not required to accredit them.

The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity voted in June 2016 to deny the accrediting agency the recognition it needs to operate after it allowed some Corinthian Colleges campuses to continue operating after state and federal authorities accused it of fraud .